Hymn to Agni
Rigveda VI.16 is a sūkta (hymn of praise) from Maṇḍala 6 of the Rigveda, one of the 1,028 hymns organized within the ten books of the oldest Veda. The Rigveda was composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE in Vedic Sanskrit and preserved through oral transmission across millennia.
This is a Good Works Translation produced for the Good Works Library from the Sanskrit of the Śākala recension.
1. You, Agni, are the invoking priest of all sacrifices, set among the gods in the tribe of men.
2. With your joyous tongues, worship greatly for us at the rite; bring the gods here and worship them.
3. For you know, O ordainer, the roads and paths to the gods directly, Agni, wise one, at the sacrifices.
4. You I invoke; Bharata too has invoked you, twice over, with his swift horses, for prosperity — he has worshipped, at sacrifices, the one worthy of worship.
5. You give these many desirable things to Divodāsa who presses the soma, to Bharadvāja the devout giver.
6. You, immortal messenger, bring here the divine race, hearing the poet's fine praise.
7. You, Agni — devout mortals invoke as god at their sacrifices, for the feasting of the gods.
8. I extol your appearance and your power; all the bountiful, desiring gods delight in you.
9. You are the priest set for man's good, the carrier most wise by mouth; Agni, worship the peoples of heaven.
10. Agni, come here to the feast, being praised, for the giving of the offering; sit down as priest on the sacred grass.
11. We strengthen you, O Aṅgiras, with kindling-wood and with ghee; blaze up high, youngest one.
12. You win for us wide, glorious wealth, god — great heroic strength, Agni.
13. You, Agni, Atharvan churned forth from the lotus, from the head of the universal priest.
14. The seer Dadhyañc, son of Atharvan, kindled you, the slayer of Vṛtra, the breaker of strongholds.
15. And the mighty Pathya kindled you, greatest slayer of the Dasyus, winner of spoils in every battle.
16. Come now, let me truly speak these further words to you, Agni — grow strong by these soma-drops.
17. Wherever your mind fixes its higher power, there you make your seat.
18. Your gift is never lost, O good lord, even to the lesser [worshippers]; and so you win their homage.
19. Agni has come, Bharata's Agni, the slayer of Vṛtra, known to many, the true lord of Divodāsa.
20. For he, by his greatness, grants wealth beyond all earthly things, winning it, unassailed, unconquered.
21. As of old, now anew, Agni, with gathered splendor you have spread wide with your light.
22. Friends, boldly offer to Agni a hymn of praise and a sacrifice — sing, chant, to the ordainer.
23. For he it is who, through the generations of men, sits as priest of poet's wisdom, and as messenger, bearer of the offering.
24. Worship here, O good lord, those two pure-ordained kings, the Ādityas, the Marut troop, and the two world-halves.
25. Good is your sight, Agni, for the mortal who longs for vigor — O son of strength, of the immortal.
26. Let him be best in giving through your will; today, winning you, well-endowed with riches, the mortal has attained fair praise.
27. Those are yours, Agni, favored by you, thriving through their whole span of life — crossing over the foe's hostilities, conquering the foe's hostilities.
28. Agni, with his sharp flame, shall strike down every devouring demon; Agni wins wealth for us.
29. Bring us wealth rich in heroes, Jātavedas, far-seeing one; slay the demons, wise one.
30. Protect us, Jātavedas, from distress and from the one who wishes us harm; protect us, O sage of the sacred word.
31. Whatever evil-minded mortal, Agni, gives us over to destruction — from that distress protect us.
32. Drive away with your tongue, god, that evildoer — the mortal who seeks to kill us.
33. Grant to Bharadvāja wide shelter, O overpowering one, and choice wealth, Agni.
34. Agni, desiring wealth, has smashed the Vṛtras through the praise-song, kindled, bright, and given oblations.
35. Father of the father, shining in the imperishable waters, in the mother's womb, sitting in the seat of the cosmic order.
36. Bring us the sacred prayer together with offspring, Jātavedas, far-seeing one, Agni, you who shine in heaven.
37. To you, of pleasant appearance, bearing our offerings, Agni made mighty by strength, we have sent forth our songs.
38. As to shade from the heat, we have come to your shelter, Agni of golden appearance.
39. Like a mighty warrior, like a sharp-horned bull, Agni, you have broken their strongholds.
40. Whom they carry like a bangle on the hand, like a newborn child — Agni of the clans, of fair rites.
41. Bring forth the god, best finder of wealth, for the feast of the gods; let him sit in his own place.
42. Kindle him, born as Jātavedas, the dear guest, the gentle lord of the house.
43. Agni, yoke indeed your good horses, god — they carry you fittingly at your will.
44. Come here to us; bring the offerings for the feast; bring the gods for the drinking of soma.
45. Rise up brilliantly, Agni of Bharata, flash with your unceasing flame; blaze, shine wide, ageless one.
46. Whatever mortal honors the god with worship, invokes Agni at the rite, oblation in hand — with outstretched hands, in homage, may he win the priest, the true sacrificer of the two worlds.
47. To you, Agni, with a verse we bring the oblation shaped by the heart; let these be yours — bulls, steers, and cows.
48. The gods kindle Agni the foremost, greatest slayer of Vṛtra, by whom riches are brought, by whom, mighty, the demons are crushed.
Translator's note: Verse 13's "from the lotus... from the head of the universal priest" and verse 40's "like a bangle on the hand" describe Agni's mythic origin and his felt presence with images whose precise reference is uncertain in the Sanskrit itself; they are rendered literally. Verse 47's closing list of bulls, steers, and cows is likely a figure for the shapes of ghee-offerings rather than literal livestock, but is translated as it stands.
Colophon
Rigveda VI.16 is drawn from the Śākala recension of the Rigveda, composed approximately 1700–1100 BCE. This is a Good Works Translation rendered verse by verse from the Sanskrit text printed below. Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation.
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Source Text: ṛgveda VI.16
Sanskrit source text from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
tvam agne yajñānāṁ hotā viśveṣāṁ hitaḥ |
devebhir mānuṣe jane || 1 ||
sa no mandrābhir adhvare jihvābhir yajā mahaḥ |
ā devān vakṣi yakṣi ca || 2 ||
vetthā hi vedho adhvanaḥ pathaś ca devāñjasā |
agne yajñeṣu sukrato || 3 ||
tvām īḻe adha dvitā bharato vājibhiḥ śunam |
īje yajñeṣu yajñiyam || 4 ||
tvam imā vāryā puru divodāsāya sunvate |
bharadvājāya dāśuṣe || 5 ||
tvaṁ dūto amartya ā vahā daivyaṁ janam |
śṛṇvan viprasya suṣṭutim || 6 ||
tvām agne svādhyo3 martāso devavītaye |
yajñeṣu devam īḻate || 7 ||
tava pra yakṣi saṁdṛśam uta kratuṁ sudānavaḥ |
viśve juṣanta kāminaḥ || 8 ||
tvaṁ hotā manurhito vahnir āsā viduṣṭaraḥ |
agne yakṣi divo viśaḥ || 9 ||
agna ā yāhi vītaye gṛṇāno havyadātaye |
ni hotā satsi barhiṣi || 10 ||
taṁ tvā samidbhir aṅgiro ghṛtena vardhayāmasi |
bṛhac chocā yaviṣṭhya || 11 ||
sa naḥ pṛthu śravāyyam acchā deva vivāsasi |
bṛhad agne suvīryam || 12 ||
tvām agne puṣkarād adhy atharvā nir amanthata |
mūrdhno viśvasya vāghataḥ || 13 ||
tam u tvā dadhyaṅṅ ṛṣiḥ putra īdhe atharvaṇaḥ |
vṛtrahaṇam puraṁdaram || 14 ||
tam u tvā pāthyo vṛṣā sam īdhe dasyuhantamam |
dhanaṁjayaṁ raṇe-raṇe || 15 ||
ehy ū ṣu bravāṇi te 'gna itthetarā giraḥ |
ebhir vardhāsa indubhiḥ || 16 ||
yatra kva ca te mano dakṣaṁ dadhasa uttaram |
tatrā sadaḥ kṛṇavase || 17 ||
nahi te pūrtam akṣipad bhuvan nemānāṁ vaso |
athā duvo vanavase || 18 ||
āgnir agāmi bhārato vṛtrahā purucetanaḥ |
divodāsasya satpatiḥ || 19 ||
sa hi viśvāti pārthivā rayiṁ dāśan mahitvanā |
vanvann avāto astṛtaḥ || 20 ||
sa pratnavan navīyasāgne dyumnena saṁyatā |
bṛhat tatantha bhānunā || 21 ||
pra vaḥ sakhāyo agnaye stomaṁ yajñaṁ ca dhṛṣṇuyā |
arca gāya ca vedhase || 22 ||
sa hi yo mānuṣā yugā sīdad dhotā kavikratuḥ |
dūtaś ca havyavāhanaḥ || 23 ||
tā rājānā śucivratādityān mārutaṁ gaṇam |
vaso yakṣīha rodasī || 24 ||
vasvī te agne saṁdṛṣṭir iṣayate martyāya |
ūrjo napād amṛtasya || 25 ||
kratvā dā astu śreṣṭho 'dya tvā vanvan surekṇāḥ |
marta ānāśa suvṛktim || 26 ||
te te agne tvotā iṣayanto viśvam āyuḥ |
taranto aryo arātīr vanvanto aryo arātīḥ || 27 ||
agnis tigmena śociṣā yāsad viśvaṁ ny a1triṇam |
agnir no vanate rayim || 28 ||
suvīraṁ rayim ā bhara jātavedo vicarṣaṇe |
jahi rakṣāṁsi sukrato || 29 ||
tvaṁ naḥ pāhy aṁhaso jātavedo aghāyataḥ |
rakṣā ṇo brahmaṇas kave || 30 ||
yo no agne dureva ā marto vadhāya dāśati |
tasmān naḥ pāhy aṁhasaḥ || 31 ||
tvaṁ taṁ deva jihvayā pari bādhasva duṣkṛtam |
marto yo no jighāṁsati || 32 ||
bharadvājāya saprathaḥ śarma yaccha sahantya |
agne vareṇyaṁ vasu || 33 ||
agnir vṛtrāṇi jaṅghanad draviṇasyur vipanyayā |
samiddhaḥ śukra āhutaḥ || 34 ||
garbhe mātuḥ pituṣ pitā vididyutāno akṣare |
sīdann ṛtasya yonim ā || 35 ||
brahma prajāvad ā bhara jātavedo vicarṣaṇe |
agne yad dīdayad divi || 36 ||
upa tvā raṇvasaṁdṛśam prayasvantaḥ sahaskṛta |
agne sasṛjmahe giraḥ || 37 ||
upa cchāyām iva ghṛṇer aganma śarma te vayam |
agne hiraṇyasaṁdṛśaḥ || 38 ||
ya ugra iva śaryahā tigmaśṛṅgo na vaṁsagaḥ |
agne puro rurojitha || 39 ||
ā yaṁ haste na khādinaṁ śiśuṁ jātaṁ na bibhrati |
viśām agniṁ svadhvaram || 40 ||
pra devaṁ devavītaye bharatā vasuvittamam |
ā sve yonau ni ṣīdatu || 41 ||
ā jātaṁ jātavedasi priyaṁ śiśītātithim |
syona ā gṛhapatim || 42 ||
agne yukṣvā hi ye tavāśvāso deva sādhavaḥ |
araṁ vahanti manyave || 43 ||
acchā no yāhy ā vahābhi prayāṁsi vītaye |
ā devān somapītaye || 44 ||
ud agne bhārata dyumad ajasreṇa davidyutat |
śocā vi bhāhy ajara || 45 ||
vītī yo devam marto duvasyed agnim īḻītādhvare haviṣmān |
hotāraṁ satyayajaṁ rodasyor uttānahasto namasā vivāset || 46 ||
ā te agna ṛcā havir hṛdā taṣṭam bharāmasi |
te te bhavantūkṣaṇa ṛṣabhāso vaśā uta || 47 ||
agniṁ devāso agriyam indhate vṛtrahantamam |
yenā vasūny ābhṛtā tṛḻhā rakṣāṁsi vājinā || 48 ||
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Rigveda, Śākala recension. The standard scholarly edition is the Bombay Oriental (Vishva Bandhu, 5 vols., 1963–66). IAST transliteration available from GRETIL (Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) and Vedaweb (University of Cologne). Both sources are open access. IAST transliteration from the Aufrecht edition (1877) via GRETIL (Van Nooten & Holland input, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).